Channel your inner author

Do you enjoy writing, performing and discussing creative works? The Creative Literature and Writing Society (CLAWS), is the club for you! We aim to provide a welcoming environment for writers of all backgrounds and skill levels, where you can express yourself, tell your stories, socialise with like-minded people, and of course, have fun!

We usually meet up every Monday afternoon for some writing exercises, a couple of helpful writing tips, and writing sessions where you can work on projects such as a novel, or a short story for an upcoming assignment. It’s also a good opportunity for club members to present their work in a welcoming environment for positive constructive feedback. And it’s always a good time to catch up with friends.

Our award-winning publication Inkspot (an anthology of our member's works), won the Best Creative Initiative award at the UMSU (University of Melbourne Student Union) Clubs and Societies' 2019 Club Awards Night. Inkspot gives you the opportunity to write and have your work published. We’ve been releasing editions since 2019, and you can find past editions on our website.

During 2019, CLAWS had a column in Farrago (the student publication of the University of Melbourne) called The Remarkable Quests of Raddish and Quill. Telling the whimsical adventures of our mascots, Raddish the Cat and Quill the Raven, several awards have been given to the writers involved, including the Jack Francis Musgrave Award for Creative Absurdity, and Best Accompanying Artwork for a Column.

While we’re isolating at home, we’ve successfully transitioned our club activities online. We have online weekly hang-out sessions (via a Discord server) which gives members the opportunity to work on their creative writing and present their works for feedback. We’ve also launched a new online event called ‘Dead Poets’, that allows our members to showcase their writing to an understand audience, as presenting work online is often less daunting than doing it in person.

In the next few months, we’re holding a writing competition where you can submit work such as movie blurbs describing tasks you’ve been doing in quarantine, and one sentence stories. More information will be coming soon on social media.

We’re always looking for new members. Whether you’re an expert in the art of free-form prose, or someone seeking to dabble in the world of creative writing, we’ve got something for you in our community. Our committee is very friendly and approachable, and more than willing to help.

This year has provided more plot twists than the sharpest mystery novel, but that’s not stopping us from writing. We’re still excited for what the future might hold, and how our club will adapt. Perhaps more role-playing games? More Dead Poets Online? Maybe some online collabs? Until then, we hope to see new and old members really soon! Stay safe, and keep on writing.

You can reach us by email at claws.unimelb@gmail.com, or our website, Facebook, Instagram, and Discord. Plus our Linktree, for easy access to all our social media!